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General Builder Edition

Job & Materials Tracking Built for Builders

Stop losing track of bulk timber orders, hire gear, and subcontractor payouts. Log site expenses, track budgets, scan merchant receipts with AI, and protect your margins on site.

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Calculate Your Unclaimed Expenses

Builders often lose track of minor materials, plant hire extras, and site travel mileage. Check how much you can claim back.

Calculate Your Mileage Claims

Log mileage automatically in VanLog and claim write-offs at approved local tax rates.

Region:
Weekly Drive Distance150 miles
10 miles1000 miles
Estimated Tax Bracket20%
10% (Basic)50% (Higher)
Annual Claimable Expense Value£3,510
Real Estimated Tax Savings£702

Estimated cash saved based on writing off £0.45 per mile against your income.

Why Building Contractors Lose Margin on Site

Managing a residential building project involves a constant stream of costs. Bricks, aggregates, steel beams, skip hire, scaffolding, plant hire, and subcontractor day-rates are constantly building up. If you don't log them dynamically, your margin evaporates:

  • 1.
    Coordinating Subcontractor Day RatesPaying bricklayers, laborers, plasterers, and electricians in cash or day-rate bank transfers is easy to forget. If you don't log these labor payouts against the job budget, your P&L doesn't represent reality.
  • 2.
    Plant & Tool Hire CostsScaffolding hire that runs over by two weeks, extra skip exchanges, mixer rentals—these costs build up quickly. Because they are billed weekly or monthly, they often get lost in general overheads instead of charged to the client.
  • 3.
    Faded, Damaged, and Lost ReceiptsPaper invoices from Selco, Jewson, or local merchants get crumpled in tool bags, wet on site, or lost. HMRC requires clear evidence for all business deductions. If you lose receipts, you pay tax on money you spent.

Features Purpose-Built for Builders

AI Invoice Scanning

Take a quick photo of your Selco, Travis Perkins, Jewson, or local merchant invoice. Our AI scans the document, extracts bulk materials and hire costs, and logs them directly to the job budget in under 15 seconds.

Subcontractor Labor Tracking

Record day rates and payouts for subcontractors and helpers. See exactly how much you have spent on external trades alongside your material costs on every project.

Live Material Budget Tracking

Set a materials budget for each extension or renovation. Circular budget rings turn from green to amber and red as your spend approaches the target, giving you warning to manage client variations.

Works offline in areas with zero cell signal. The app caches all materials, subby payments, and mileage inputs locally and syncs automatically to Firebase when you are back in range.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the AI scanner support Selco and Travis Perkins invoices?

Yes. Our AI receipt scanner recognizes layouts and invoice terminology from all major national builders merchants like Selco, Travis Perkins, Jewson, Buildbase, and MKM, as well as local independent merchants.

Can I track skip hire and scaffolding hire costs?

Yes. You can log plant rentals, skip hire, scaffolding, and tool rentals under the Job Expenses or Overhead tracker to make sure your tax returns reflect these business costs.

Can I split tool purchase costs across multiple projects?

Yes. If you buy a specialist tool that you will use on several projects, you can log it as an asset/overhead or split its cost across active jobs by percentage.

Ready to stop losing profit on your building jobs?

Join self-employed builders who use VanLog to track material costs, capture tax-deductible mileage, and manage their business efficiently.

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⚠️ Important: VanLog is a record-keeping tool. Verify all calculations with your local tax authority and consult an accountant before submitting tax returns. You are solely responsible for your tax compliance.